Training for renewable energy capacity building

Online training for variable renewable energy capacity building

Cambodia’s rapid energy development is creating both opportunity and complexity. The government’s Power Development Plan (2022–2040) aims to expand generation capacity while ensuring reliability and affordability. To achieve this, a major shift toward solar and other variable renewable energy (VRE) sources is underway. However, integrating these resources—whether at utility or rooftop scale—requires new technical capabilities across planning, regulation, and operations. Ministries and utilities must assess solar proposals, manage grid stability, and design policies that balance affordability, reliability, and sustainability. Building this institutional and technical capacity is essential to deliver Cambodia’s renewable energy ambitions.

To strengthen national capacity in managing variable renewables, the Cambodia Australia Partnership for Resilient Economic Development (CAPRED) has commissioned a 15-month capacity-building initiative focused on the theoretical foundations of VRE. The Australian National University’s Centre for Energy Systems (ACES) is leading the design and delivery of the online theoretical training components, complementing practical in-country training delivered by CAPRED’s consulting partners. The courses—Utility-Scale Solar Feasibility Assessment and Rooftop Solar & DER Integration—equip engineers and technical officers from the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), Electricité du Cambodge (EDC), and the Electricity Authority of Cambodia (EAC) with the analytical and decision-making skills needed to plan, evaluate, and manage renewable projects.

Each course combines self-paced interactive learning in Articulate Rise with live lectures and tutorials via Zoom, delivered by a team of leading ANU academics. Forty participants in Cambodia are progressing through sequential modules that blend theory with applied exercises—covering topics from solar resource assessment and storage integration to risk management, community engagement, and grid forecasting. After each module, online quizzes and reflective activities consolidate learning. Between online modules, participants apply their knowledge in practical workshops in Cambodia led by CAPRED’s consulting partners, creating a coordinated learning pathway that moves from foundational theory to hands-on application.

Running from July 2025 to October 2026, the project will deliver two fully developed, assessment-based online training programs aligned with Cambodia’s renewable energy priorities. Graduates who complete the theoretical modules, live tutorials, and applied assessments will receive a Certificate of Competency, recognising their readiness to evaluate and implement VRE projects. The final phase includes project-based assignments that draw together the technical, economic, and social dimensions of renewable energy deployment. By building enduring expertise within Cambodia’s energy institutions, this project supports the country’s long-term transition to a resilient, low-carbon electricity system.

Involvment

I am named CI on the project and developing and delivering course material for three topics on utility scale renewable energy systems, with a focus on energy yield & project economics, construction, testing, commissioing & maintenance, and project risk management.